She’s unstoppable!
Distance runner Sifan Hassan won gold during the Olympics after falling during a race, The Grio reports.
Ethiopian native Hassan is a dominant force in track and field, winning big every time as a distance runner. During a recent 1,500 meter run, Hassan fell after tripping over an opponent during the final lap, getting up to not only finish the race but win it as well. Just 11 hours later, she returned to the track to run the 5,000-meter race, taking home the gold medal.
From the back, to the middle, to the front, to GOLD !! Sifan Hassan makes an incredible move to win the gold in the 5000m
advertisementIt’s the first Olympic medal for Hassan and the first gold in athletics for the Dutch in 29 years #OlympicHERstory | #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/lftepXlE6N
— On Her Turf (@OnHerTurf) August 2, 2021
The 28-year-old representing the Netherlands is racing for a third medal, gearing up for the 10,000-meter run on Saturday. The feat has never been attempted, requires eight races over six days, leaving Hassan’s peers tipping their hats to her for even trying.
“It’s pretty crazy. Let alone that she’s tripling, but to have a fall and be able to retain that composure and then come out here and win the 5k. It’s pretty crazy,” U.S. 5,000-meter runner Karissa Schweizer said.
Canadian 5,000-meter runner Andrea Seccafien echoed those sentiments, saying, “She closed in a 60-second lap with a fall, so she probably ran about a 55. So, yeah, she’s on another level for sure.”
Hassan is known to run from the back before taking the lead in the end, something she was gracefully doing when she began the start of the final lap, only to trip over Kenyan runner Edinah Jebitok who had fallen to the ground. Hassan was down for nearly two seconds before jumping up, closing the huge gap, and racing ahead of 14 runners to win it all.
Many didn’t know if she would have it in her to continue with the 5k. But she did, running in the back and slowly advancing to the middle for the first 11 laps, then kicking into overdrive with 250 meters left, winning the race in 14 minutes, 36.79 seconds, just 1.57 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Hellen Obiri with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay taking bronze. Afterward, Hassan appeared more in shock than winded.
View this post on Instagramadvertisement
Her latest victory now has the world with all eyes on Hassan waiting to see what she’s going to do next!
Congratulations, Sifan!
Photo Courtesy of Sports Illustrated